Apparatus for classifying laundry articles



Feb.. 23, '1932.

C. E. CONSTABLE APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING LAUNDRY ARTICLES Filed June 2B, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet yf/@Wwf C. E. CONSTABLE APPARATUS Filed June 28.

FOR CLASSIFYING LAUNDRY ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fab. 22?, W32. c. E CQNSTABLE APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING LAUNDRY ARTICLES Filed June 28, 1928 3 SheetSSheet 3 Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES ENOCII CONSTAIBLE, .OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE NATIONAL MARKING MACHINE COMPANY, Ol CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION F OHIO` APPARATUS FOR CLASSIFYING LAUNDRY ARTICLES Application led June 28, 1928. Serial No. 288,979.

Laundry articles are usually received in a commercial laundry in individual familyr bundles which have to be broken and classified and assorted, and then conveyed to the proper washing mechanism, and at the same time the articles. must be provided with suitable identiication characters, whereby they may be collected and again formed into suitable bundles and delivered to the owners. A large amount 1o of work is involved in the proper asserting and classifying of the laundry articles.

Cine of the objects pf my invention is to provide an improved apparatus for use in breaking the individual family bundles of if; laundry and preparing them for the wash room,` and separating and classifying articles with a minimum amount of labor, and at the same time with a high degree of accuracy t`o avoid mistakes.

A 'further object is to provide a mechanism whereby the above method may be more easily and quickly carried out, and whereby the chances oit mistakes and errors are greatly reduced, and further whereby the articles of a5 the bundles may be passed progressively from one operator to another, the bundles being passed in a successive manner at regular intervals in such manner as to increase the speed oit the wor-lr.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parte of the apparatus, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the mechanism used in my method.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of same. die Figure 3 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure at is a transverse sectional view taken on the line l-Jl oi Figure 1. l5 Figure 5 is an enlarged, detail view showing in side elevation one of the partition curtains and the frame for supporting the same.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view takenv on the line 6-6 of Figure 1. P Figure is an enlarged top view of the the claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingy net holder showing the 'manner in which it is applied to the conveyor frame.

Figure 8 is a detail end elevation of the net holder, a portion of the supporting frame being shown in section.

Figure 9 is an enlarged, detail, sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 1, illustrating the automatic switch.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of said switch.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatical view of the electric circuit.

My improved apparatus comprises a frame 10 supported by legs 11. The ends of the frame 10 are'provided with rollers 12 e5 and 13 designed to support and carry a Y continuous belt 14. Thevupper run of said belt is designed to travel one4 slatted platform 15. The frame 10 has upwardly extending side members 16 and 17, which extend substantially the entire length of the frame. The member 16 terminates inside of the end of the frame a slight distance, while the member 17 terminates a greater distance from the same end of the frame. A short side member 18'is provided so that a notch or opening 19 is formed.

The side members of the frame 10 consist of angle irons having upwardly extending flanges 20. Said upwardly extending flanges are designed to adjustably support a number of upright frame members 21. The upper ends of the frame members 21 are connected by a cross member 22. The lower ends of the members 21 have gusset plates 23, each of said plates being provided with slots 24 for receiving bolts 25 by means of which the said plates are adjustably secured to the flanges 20, for purposes hereinafter made clear. Y

The belt 14 is provided vwith a series of transversely arranged upright cleats 26, which are of a height substantially equal to the height of the side members 16 and 17 and of a length slightly less than the distance between said side members, as clearly illustrated in Figure 4.

The back side of each of the cleats 26 is provided with braces 27, the lower ends of which rest loosely on top of the belt 14. 10o

Said braces prevent rearward movement of the to edge of the cleat 16 as the belt is advance the belt being designed to travel in an anti-clockwise direction, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The cleats 26 are equally.

spaced apart, substantially six or eight feet in the full size apparatus.

The cleats 26 ofthe upper run of the belt and the side members 16 and 17 form compartments 28 for receivin the laundry articles, each compartment eing designed to receive and carry all of the articles of an individual family bundle.

A chute 29 is provided at the receiving end of the belt, having its lower edge terminating at a point immediately above the first one of the cleats 26, as illustrated in Figure 3. A suitable platform 30 is designed for receiving the individual family bundles.

The frame members 21 are spaced the same as the spacing of the cleats 26, and are designed to rest substantially above said cleats when the first one of the cleats is under the delivery edge of the chute 26, as illustrated in Figure 3.

Each of the members 22 is provided with a downwardly extending curtain 31, preferably formed of heavy canvas or similar material, the width of said curtains being substantially equal to the width of the cleats 26.

The lower edges of the curtains have reinforcing bars 32 supported slightly above the u per edge of the cleats 26, so that the said clieats will pass freely beneath the members 32 without engaging the same. The lower edge of the canvas 32 is free to swing forwardly in case the laundry articles should extend above the upper edge of the cleats 26, and permit the articles to pass beneath the same without injuring the articlesor the curtain. The curtains 31 provide partitions to prevent the articles of one compartment from becoming mixed with those in another ccmpartment while the assorting is taking p ace.

Adjacent to the rear end of the side member 17, and outside of the frame 10 is a pair of bag or net holders 33, and spaced rearwardly from the net holders 33 is another net holder 34. The net holder 34 and the rear net holder 33 are spaced apart such a. distance as to permit an operator to stand between them, said spacing forming what I shall term station D. The opposite side of the frame 10 is provided with a pair of net holders 35, spaced apart to receive an operator between them, said space forming station E. Operators are also located at stations A, B and C.

The roller 12 is provided with an extended shaft 36 having a belt wheel 37 driven by means of a belt 38 from an electric motor 39, by means of which the conveyor'V belt is operated.

Each of the net holders 33, ,'34'nd 35 is formed of an angle ironframe 40 having spaced parallel members 41 rojecting transversely under the side members of the main frame, and beneath the bottom 15, as clearly illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. The vertical flange of the angle 40 is provided with openings 42 for receiving the screw threaded ends of the rod 43, said rod being supported above and parallel with the angle/40, and having its ends bent inwardly and downwardly and thence rearwardly throu the openings 42. Suitable nuts 44 are provided for locking the rod 43 in position The horizontal anges of the members 41 are provided with slot 45 for receiving the ends of a rod 46, which is parallel with the rod 43, and has its ends bent downwardly and rearwardly and projecting". through the slots 15, and thence forwardly and terminating in ends 47. The ends 47 are mounted in pipes 48 secured to the horizontal flanges of the angles,..41 by suitable U-bolts 49. The forward end of each of the members 474 has a collar 50 and a spring 51, one end of said spring resting against said collar. The opposite end of the spring 51 rests against the rear end of the pipe 48, so that the rod 46 is yieldably/supported in the forward ends of the slotsA 45.

By this., arrangement it will be seen that openings52 are provided between the members 40 and 41 and the rods 43 and 46. Said openings are designed to receive the upper ends, of nets or bags 53, said upper ends being Iirst lapped over the rod 43 and the opposite side then folded outwardly over the rod 46, said rod being moved to its outer limit of movement. The springs 51 will then draw the rode46finwar`dly and causethe bags 53 to be supported in the manner illustrated in Figure 8. This provides means whereby the bags may be easily and quickly placed in position, and when so placed will be firmly supported with the upper ends firmly held in an open position so that laundry articles may be'easily and quickly placed therein.

For starting and stopping the belt 14, I have supported in the electric circuit of the motor 39 a switch 54, the opening and closing of which will cause the motor 39 to be operated and stopped, and in turn the belt 14 advanced and stopped.

It is desirable to stop the belt with the cleats 26 beneath the curtains 31. This I have accomplished by mounting on one end of each of the cleats 26 a trip bary 55 having its outer end bent upwardly at 56. Said members 56 are designed to engage the under surface of a pivoted switch arm 57, mounted von a shaft 58 rotatively and slidably mounted in a support 59. One end of the support 59 is bent inwardly at 60 and has its under surface provided with an insulating block 61, having a contact member 62 to coact with a tll) titl

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contact member 63 carried by the shorter end of the arm 57.

A spring 64 is mounted on the shaft 58 between the arm 57 and the support 59 to yield-` ably support the arm 57 at 1ts inner osition of movement and in alinement with t e inember 562 with the contact members 57 and 62 closed. Said contacts are included in vthe conductors 65 of the motor circuit, and the motor will be rotated and the belt 14 ad-l vanced together with the cleats 26 until the member 56 engages the under surface of the lever 57, which will cause said lever 'to be rocked and the contacts 57 and 62 opened. This will cause the motor 39 to stop and in turn the belt 14 with a cleat 26 immediately below the lower edge of the curtain 31. The contacts are held open by the member 56.

When it is desired to advance the belt, the operator grasps the knob 66 on the outer end of the shaft 58 and pulls the said shaft outwardly, causing the member 57 to disengage the member 56 and the contacts 57 and 62 closed.

'In this connection it should be noted that the spring 64 is both a torsional and extensible spring, which performs the double function 'of holding the member 57 inwardly and the electric contacts closed.

The switch 54 is located near the delivery end of the belt where it may be actuated by either of the operators in stations D and E. The switch, however, is illustrated as being mounted on the side member 18 and` near the operator in station D.

ln operation with my apparatus an operator is placed in each of the stations A, B, C, D and E and the individual family bundles 67 are placed on the platform 30. The operator at station A first weighs one of the individual *familv bundles 67, records the weight of the bundle and also the number of the bundle identification devicewhich is preferably a pin with a number stamped thereon. A pin tray 68 is placed on the belt 14, said tray carrying a number of pins having the same numbers as the identification number recorded. The bag is then broken and the contents emptied in the chute 29, and then delivered to the tiret compartment. rThe laundry articles of said bundle are designated by the numeral 69.

The empty bag 67 is then placed on the belt l4 adjacent to the second cleat 26, as indicated at 70. The knob 66 is then grasped and pulled outwardly, causing the motor to be started in the manner above described. As soon as the motor is started, the operator releases the lrnob 66 which permits it to automatically return 'to its normal position. The belt is then advanced a distance equal to the spacing between ltwo adjacent cleats 26. The articles 69 will then rest in the second compartment 'trom the receiving end of the conveyor vin iront of the operator in station B.

A second bundle is at this time introduced into the chute 29 as above described. At the same time the operator in'station B se arates the white articles from the colo ones, throwing the white articles in al pile 71 adjacent to the forward cleat 26, and the colored articles in a pile 72 adjacent to the rear cleat, as indicated in Figure 1, and at the same time spreading out the articles for washing.

At this time the belt isagain advanced one' step in the manner above described, bringing the piles 7l and 72 in front of station C. The operator at station C then classifies the pile of colored goods 72.y In the present instance, these 'colored goods are separated into five classes, as shown in Fig. 1. For instance, the two piles 73 may be one dark and the other light colors, the pile 74 may be fugitive colors, the pile 75 colored woolens and the pile 76 articles which must be washedby hand.

The conveyor is again advanced -one step,-

carrying the piles 73 in front of the operator at station E and the piles 74, 75 and 76 in front of the operator at station D. The o erator in station E then removes the bag 0 and places it in one of the holders 35, and another bag in the other holder, after which the articles in the piles 73 are placed in the bags in the holders 35. Said bags are then pinned with identification-pins taken from the tray 68. The operator in station D at the same time places the colored articles in a net in the holder 34 and the fugitives and hand wash articles in nets in the holders 33, and pins the nets with identification pins from the tray 68, after which the nets are ready for distribution to the proper washing machines.

By this arrangement it will be seen that the belt is advanced a step at a time and automatically stopped and manually started by the operator in station D. The operators in all the stations perform the various operations simultaneously, and at the time the belt is in a stationary position.

By this arrangement team work is established among the operators and the operator in one station must perform her work in the same length of time as required for the operators in the other stations, therebypreventing delays and confusion, that might otherwise be caused by one operator not keeping up with her work. By this method the work is rapidly and accurately performed.

It will readily be seen that the articles of a given bundle are placed in a compartment and retained in said compartment as it is advanced through all of its operations, the associated piles being placed in suitable nets or bags, all of the bags being pinned with pins from a single tray so that the bags may be collected after the washing is performed and the articles again placed in suitable bundles,

on which is placed the original ticket or iden- 19 permits material to be delivered-to the ba in the holders 33 and 34.v

he identification` pins and trays may be of any one of a number of such devices now in common use, or other identification Ameans may be substituted for the pins.

The frame members 21 are adjustably mounted to the members to permit the cur` tains to be'properly alined with the cleats.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a laundry classifying apparatus, the

combination of a frame, a conveyor mounted in the frame and designed to'receive Vand-support articles to be classified, transverse partition members fixed to and 'carried by the conveyor and extended upwardly from the upper portion of `the conveyor, stationary side walls at the side edges of the conveyor and extended above it, the said conveyor,'the side walls and the partitions forming a series of classifying compartments designed to receive and support articles being classified into groups upon the conveyor and to confine said articles within their respective compartments, one of the compartments thus formed beino provided with openings in its said side walls through which articles upon the conveyor may be scraped ofi at the side of the conveyor.

' 2. In a laundry classifying apparatus, the

combination of a frame, a conveyor mounted on said frame and designed to receive and support articles to be classified, transverse partition members supported on the lframe above the conveyor to divide the conveyor into a series of classifying compartments, said partition members being capable of movement away from the conveyor to permit the conveyor to be advanced without disturbing articles thereon.

3. In a laundry classifying apparatus, the

, combination of a frame, a conveyor mounted on said frame and designed to receive and support articles to be classified by hand, transverse'partition members supported on the frame above the conveyor to divide the conveyor into a series of classifying compartments, said partition members being pivoted at their upper ends so that their lower ends may swing with the conveyor in the same direction as'tlie conveyor is moving to thereby ride over any articles on the conveyor and to prevent the articles from being disturbed in their positions on the conveyor.

4. In a laundry classifying apparatus, the combination of a frame, a conveyor mounted on said frame and designed to receive and support articles to be classified, transverse into a series of classifying compartments, a

said partition members being capable of movement away from the conve or to permit the conveyor to be advanced without disturbing` the articles thereon, partition members carried by the conveyor and spaced apart from each other to the same extent as are the partition members carried by the frame and so arranged that the partition members on the frame and thepartition members on the conveyor co-act with-'each other in confining artices upon the conveyor into'separate compartments. v

`5. In a laundry classifying apparatus, the combination of a frame, a conveyor on the frame designed to receive cles to be classified, transverse partitions for dividing the conveyor into a series of classifylng compartments, means for advancing the conveyor and means for automatically stopping the conveyor each time that it has advanced a distance equal to the length of a classifying compartment between the partitions.

6. A laundry classifying apparatus of the class described com rising a conveyor designed to receive and support articles to be classified, partition members carried by the conveyor extended transversely thereof equally spaced apart and rojected upwardly from the upper lengt'h'oi3 the con-veyor, stationary side walls at the side edges of the conveyor and projected upwardly from it, partition members mounted on fixed supports andequally spaced apart the same distance as the partition members on theconveyor, said parts being so arranged that when the conveyor is statlonary the partition members. on it and the partition members on the stationary supportsmay be in vertical alignment to co-act with each other in dividing the conveyor into separate compartments, means for manually starting the conveyor, and means for automatically stopping the conveyor when said partition members are inr and support .arti- 

